Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-04-15
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Regular Correspondent.

OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, April 1st. 1887.
The Interstate Commerce Commits
sioners are not likely to mature an Or
ganization this week. They are all in
the city and ready to begin, but Judge
Cooley, of Michigan, has raised the
point that the Commission cannot be
organized until after the 5th of April,
because the law will not take effect
until that date. Said he, " we will not
be Commissioners until then, and
we have no right to organize be-
FORE"
Itis said the first question the Com
mission will take up for consideration
will be regarding an application by
the associated railroads of Kentucky,
Tennessee and Alabama to be allowed
special rates on through traffic with
out affecting their loc al traffic on ac-
count of the competition of the Ohio
and Mississippi river lines. It is
held that the Commission has authori-
zed to grant special rates in some
cases, if it finds the water competition
materially affects the through traffic
of the roads.
At the White House, matters have
been very quiet this week. The Pres
ident is devoting large share OF his
attention to consideration Of the i'm
portant appointments soon to be
made. The newly appointed Austrian
Minister having arrived in Washing
ton, it is probable that Minister from
this country will soon be appointed in
in return. The Treasury changes are
still unannOunced, and q good deal
Of attention is now being bestowed by
the public upon the selection by the
President of the three Commissioners
for the Pacific Railroad investigation.
The task of finding the right man for
these places proves almost as difficult
as was the Interstate Commits
sion.
Every week some enemy of the Ad-
ministration announces with great
positiveness that specified member
of the Cabinet is about to resign.
Last week il was Secretary Edicott.
This week it was Secretary Whitney.
Next week it will be the Attorney
General, or the Postmaster General, or
the Secretary of the Interior. OF all
these foolish inventions, probably the
most absurd is the latest allegation,
namely, that Mr.. Whitney is dissatisfied
with his position and wants the Treas
ury portfolio.
Mr.. Whitney's position" now is
about as satisfactory" in every way
as is conceivable. He is wealthy,
successful, influential and the centre
of metropolitan society. Those who
are closest to him know that he would
not accept the Secretaryship of the
Treasury if it were offered to him, and
everybody knows he would not wish
to resign ON the heels of the greatest
triumph of his life-in the letting of
contracts on favorable terms for the
country for the immediate construc-
ton of a powerful navy.
After all the denunciation that
President Cleveland received at the
hands of his enemies for the vigorous
exercise of his veto power with reg,ard
to fraudulent pension claims, q recent
incident is worthy Of mention. On
the 18th of February the President
vetoed private pension bill ON the
ground that the soldier was entitled
to a greater relief under the law than
was accorded by the act, as was
shown by the records of the Pension
Bureau. A fortnight ago he received
a letter from the claimants attorney
saying that the pension certificate lad
not yet reached the beneficiary. There
upon the President wrote an auto
graph letter to the Commissioner of
Pensions inquiring into the causes of
delay. This looks as if he was vigilant
in behalf of the worthy soldiers as well
as careful Of the interests of the pub
lie treasury, and that his patient ap-
plication to the details of his Office il
merciful as we'll as just.
But of all the bills which have ever
been suggested for the relief of men
in any way connected with the war,